


Steel Your Heart

by Denibear929



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Brotherhood of Steel - Freeform, Character Death, F/F, Implied Femslash, Rockets Red Glare, Unrequited Love, Violence, railroad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 06:23:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7833760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denibear929/pseuds/Denibear929
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First, Paladin Danse turns out to be a synth designated M7-97 and was ordered to be executed by the Vault Dweller turned knight and now the lone wanderer she had been quickly warming up to these past few months has been officially deemed an enemy of the Brotherhood. The Cambridge Police station is under fire and Scribe Haylen suddenly finds herself fighting for her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steel Your Heart

Scribe Haylen sat in front of her terminal in absolute disbelief, unable to find the right words to express how she felt in this moment – how she felt about the news of Paladin Corrine’s betrayal.

Corrine. Haylen swallowed hard at the fact that she was under current orders to execute the woman she befriended the day she clumsily stumbled onto the feral infested police station and willingly risked her life to save theirs. Rhys was distrustful of her intentions from the beginning – a mysterious loner taking advantage of the Brotherhood’s resources before going AWOL wasn’t unheard of but the vault dweller actually stuck around and proved to be a very valuable asset to the Brotherhood. While it was well known that Corrine was on a personal mission to retrieve her son from the Institute, she also took her duties as a Brotherhood Knight very seriously and completed the dangerous tasks Elder Maxson assigned her while she was seen as an Institute ally.

After Quinlan translated the data from the Network Scanner Corrine brought back from the Institute, the Brotherhood faced an internal crisis when it came to light that Paladin Danse was an Institute synth designated M7-97. Haylen found Maxson’s handling of the situation absolutely distasteful, especially since Danse sacrificed many years of his life proving himself a worthy Brotherhood Knight. He is the epitome of what every Brotherhood Knight should aspire to be and he was thrown out of the order simply because of what he was. It was absolute garbage and Elder Maxson’s decision to have him executed without trial only made her question her faith in the Brotherhood. It was only until Corrine was assigned the gruesome task of hunting down Danse that shifted Haylen’s perspective about the organization. Corrine stood up to Elder Maxson and kept him alive despite the fact that it meant risking her position in the Brotherhood. She placed Danse’s needs ahead of her own and it made Haylen believe for a split second that this woman could be the one to bring compassion into the way of accomplishing long term goals in the Brotherhood.

Haylen believed in Corrine, hung onto every word she said and held onto the hope that this woman could bring forth the change the Brotherhood so desperately needed. Once again, however, Haylen made a complete fool of herself for wasting all this energy on the woman who would turn her back on the Brotherhood. When she was assigned the task of retrieving the Beryllium Agitator for Liberty Prime, Corrine partnered with the Institute instead and threw away the possibility of furthering her career within the Brotherhood. While Haylen was never one to jump to illogical conclusions without knowing the details first, Corrine’s actions were damning. She spent quite a bit of time infiltrating the Institute on her own, and during that time, Haylen feared that her friend could have been brainwashed into abandoning her duty as a Brotherhood Knight to do the Institute’s bidding or worse – she could have been replaced by a Synth. It would certainly explain why she turned on the Brotherhood so quickly, but unfortunately Haylen received word not long after the failure at Mass Fusion that the location of the Railroad Headquarters – a secret organization that specialized in saving Synths from the institute – had been found.

 

While Haylen thought the idea to be noble, expressing that aloud could guarantee a whole heap of trouble she couldn’t afford to handle with everything that has been going on. What really threw her off guard and made her question her faith in the Brotherhood once more was when Paladin Brandis was tasked with destroying the Railroad – his orders were to slaughter anyone involved in the protection of Synths running amok in the Commonwealth. That couldn’t have been the only reason the Brotherhood was invested in the idea of more unnecessary bloodshed so Scribe Haylen dug up as much information as she could from Quinlan’s terminal and discovered that one of the Railroad’s best agents operating under the guise of _Charmer_ was the same woman who stumbled onto the Cambridge Police Station and destroyed every feral ghoul threatening to kill Danse, herself and Rhys those several months ago. This ‘ _Charmer_ ’ was the same woman who stepped up to clear Fort Strong of the Super Mutant threat sitting on top of nuclear warheads in order to get on Maxson’s good side. She infiltrated the Institute for the Brotherhood, risked life and limb for her brothers and sisters in arms, and it turns out that this courageous woman sympathized with the plight of Synths running from the Institute and thus swore fealty to an organization that dedicated themselves to protecting Synth runaways – people, people like Paladin Danse.

 

Haylen was dumbfounded. She didn’t know what to think and she wasn’t sure if she wanted Paladin Brandis to succeed in his mission after all. She found her morals conflicting with Brotherhood ideology and it was so damned confusing. On one hand, she felt scared for Corrine, knowing what fate lay in store for her and friends in the Railroad. Trust Haylen when she says facing Brotherhood Knights armed to the teeth with power armor and Gatling lasers is quite the sight to behold and it will almost always guarantee your death if you’re not on good terms with the Brotherhood. On the other hand, Scribe Haylen felt…hope. She believed in Corrine’s potential from the very beginning and their friendship only solidified when she defied Maxson in order to protect Danse. Corrine was well known for surviving the impossible so maybe, just maybe…Corrine was an unstoppable force to be feared by all. She was the Minuteman General who took back Fort Independence from those disgusting Mirelurk creatures and armed settlements across this wasteland with impressive artillery that would have been greatly appreciated by the Brotherhood force occupying the Capital Wasteland.

 

Why couldn’t the Brotherhood be more like the Minutemen – to be more like the Brotherhood back in DC in which they could help the people at a moment’s notice without expecting anything in return? It was because of this that made Corrine a terrifying opponent – she had an entire army plus the Railroad backing her so what chance did the Brotherhood truly have against this one woman?

 

Haylen sighed in exasperation as she tinkered with the ham radio on her desk. She anxiously awaited the result s of Paladin Brandis’ assault on the Railroad HQ. Scribe Haylen wouldn’t be pleased no matter the outcome of this senseless assault. All those innocent people who volunteered to save the life of a Synth wanting to escape the restraints of the Institute and being slaughtered for their altruism…it just didn’t seem fair. Then again, the Railroad had a secret weapon and her name is Charmer. The very thought of her surviving a Brotherhood assault and exacting vengeance was a frightening plausibility. It’s not that Haylen would prefer Corrine dead; what she wants is quite the opposite but how does Corrine feel about this situation? These unresolved, confusing feelings that had been building between the two of them intensified tenfold by the violent rivalry of their chosen factions –would she approach her as friend or foe should she survive the Brotherhood’s onslaught? Haylen sighed. She didn’t want to think about this anymore. It was all too…tragic.

 

A deep commanding voice coming from the ham radio broke Haylen out of her reverie and the nature of the message caught everyone’s attention.

 

“This is Lancer Captain Kells. We have just received word from our reconnaissance squad that the assault on the Railroad headquarters has failed. I repeat – the assault on the Railroad headquarters has failed. While it is with deep regret that we cannot take a moment to honor the fallen, the Brotherhood will be facing retaliation and we must brace ourselves for the inevitable. I urge those stationed at Cambridge Police Station and those holding their positions below the Prydwen at the Boston Airport to reinforce your positions. The traitor known as Charmer is leading a small yet effective oppositional force but their whereabouts are currently unknown. Exercise extreme caution should you run into your former comrade – single target her and take her out fast without mercy. Lancer Captain Kells out.”

 

The words sunk into Haylen like sharp teeth tearing into her flesh threatening to tear her apart as a vicious deathclaw would. Her heart felt heavy, the blood in her veins running ice cold as she knew right away Corrine would target the police station first – it would be stupid of her not to. Instead of assaulting the Brotherhood base head on at the airport, Corrine and her friends could hijack the all too vulnerable vertibird stationed above them and head straight to the Prydwen which would ultimately cause the destruction of the Brotherhood forces occupying the Commonwealth. Haylen felt panic creep on her before but this time it was different – it was worse. She was going to have to fight for her life and the lives of the people she’s come to known as her family during her time with the Brotherhood. She’s done it countless times before but today it felt conclusive…and death terrified her.

 

Rhys began suiting up, cursing Corrine’s name and arming himself with an automatic laser rifle and several frag grenades.

 

“Haylen, this is it. We’re going to bring that traitorous bitch down to her knees and make her regret making an enemy out of the Brotherhood.” Rhys stated with pride, tossing her a laser pistol which she caught with shaky hands.

 

Haylen was on the verge of a mental breakdown because the threat of death loomed over their heads with a hint of finality behind it yet she couldn’t stand the idea of letting her fear show. She mustered whatever strength she could and with a slow and steady voice, she said, “We’ll make it through this Rhys. We’ll make her pay for the atrocities she’s committed. W-we’ll be okay, I’m s-sure of it.”

 

Rhys tilted his head in confusion, noticing the obvious hesitation in her words. He sighed and placed both hands atop her shoulders, leaning in to press a firm kiss above her forehead.

 

“She’s going to lose her teeth and several limbs before she can even think of singling you out, doc. She’s going to wish she was going face to face with a dozen Mirelurk queens instead of me. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you, not on my watch.” Rhys assured her before pulling away.

 

Haylen desperately wanted to believe the comforting lie, to cling onto the false hope that they would make it out of this dire situation alive but truth be told, she was betting on Corrine taking over Cambridge Police Station with little effort involved. Haylen wanted to hate her, she wanted to loathe the other woman’s entire being so much she wanted to enjoy the possibility of killing her but she couldn’t, not even a little bit. She had been in awe of the other woman’s strength to carry on in this world, even after waking up two hundred years later only to discover that her husband had been murdered and her son kidnapped by the Institute. Corrine would check in on Haylen and Rhys every now and then, assisting them with their assigned tasks and regaling them with tales of her pre-war life and her personal misadventures exploring the Commonwealth. Haylen enjoyed her company, her words seemingly sincere and her laughter infectious. While Rhys wouldn’t admit out loud, he too was impressed with the vault dweller and her capabilities. He warmed up to her enough that he begun inquiring about her when she infiltrated the Institute. Corrine made them feel secure enough to consider her family and she was charming enough that their friendship had her questioning her sexuality. The lingering touches, the warm smile that was on permanent reservation for Haylen, and the way she looked at her as if she was the only person in the room that really mattered- it was incredibly unfair and it made Haylen hate the way she found herself constantly falling for illusions- actions veiled by feelings that simply weren’t there.

 

Corrine hurt her and she should be angry, she should be desperate enough to draw out the raw animalistic lust within her to make her pay for what’s done, but she can’t do it. She isn’t that kind of person. No matter how much harm a person has inflicted upon her, she simply cannot wish ill upon them, especially if it’s towards Corrine. While she was still bound to the Brotherhood, however, any ties forged by a false friendship would hereby be forgotten and she would uphold her duty as a Field Scribe to fight for not only the Brotherhood but for herself as well. She was going to give Corrine everything she had and she will proudly fall fighting for her beliefs, even if they didn’t fall in line with the Brotherhood.

 

“Enemy sighted!”

 

There was a sudden commotion outside that broke both Rhys and Haylen apart, the two drawing their weapons and accidentally backing into Haylen’s terminal. Rhys urged Haylen to take advantage of their cover as they aimed towards the entrance of the police station. Haylen’s fear of confrontation steadily increased with each passing minute as they heard gatling lasers outside the building firing relentlessly. While their brothers and sisters defended the well-fortified police station outside, Rhys and the others scrambled to take positions throughout the building to ensure that no one would be caught off guard. It didn’t take long for the miniguns to start firing off shortly after a few missiles were launched and unsuccessfully hitting their targets. Haylen couldn’t relax, not while she was crouched behind this crowded counter with Rhys, not while the screams of her fellow comrades tormented her before they were quickly silenced with opposing gun fire. Haylen felt her breath quickening, a panic attack threatening to break her concentration and she couldn’t allow herself to succumb to her emotions, not when her life was in immediate danger.

 

“Bombs away, amigos!”

 

An unfamiliar voice could be heard outside mocking the Brotherhood soldiers. There was a brief moment of panic followed by a loud explosion that actually shook the foundation of the building before a deafening silence followed. She felt Rhys tighten his grip on his laser rifle beside her, his teeth gritted as the tension in his body began to unravel. He was ready to unleash the sleeping beast within him and although it was admirable, Haylen wasn’t certain it would be enough.

 

The doors to the police station flew open and before the unwanted visitors could reveal themselves, a few foolhardy scribes and initiates rushed to the entrance and began firing away. What a big mistake that turned out to be because they were flanked by two men who took them down easily with no remorse. One of the men, wearing a harness and combat armor with a horrific looking wig and sunglasses to complete his look, stepped over the bodies of her fallen comrades with a satisfied smirk on his face.

 

“Knock, knock motherfuckers.”

 

Another man appeared beside him, thin and lanky and most definitely not an expert combatant, sported basic overalls and a heavily modified rifle of some sort – she couldn’t identify it. He was quick to take down an initiate who blew his own cover tripping over the debris in the police station.

 

“Let’s make this quick, I am not mentally equipped for this shit, _Charmer_.”

 

Haylen gulped. She was here and it would only be a matter of time before they officially faced off. The thundering footsteps that followed someone equipping a suit of power armor could be heard before it came to a stop. The sound of the suit of armor opening up only increased the tension built up in the pit of Haylen’s stomach. There was a frustrated sigh, a sound Haylen knew all too well.

 

“Tom, you sweep the rooms over to the right and secure the stairs leading up to the vertibird. Deacon, I need you to sweep left and secure the basement. Leave Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys taking cover behind the counter to me…and then I’ll back you guys up. This isn’t going to be easy for me.” Corrine said, with a hint of regret in her tone of voice.

 

The familiar sound of Corrine’s gravelly, commanding voice sent chills down Haylen’s spine. The words washed over her like a tidal wave drowning her in a sea of pure terror. Her anxiety began to takeover and it was getting harder and harder to breathe; the air in this room felt toxic and Corrine’s presence alone overwhelmed her. She wasn’t ready for this, how could anyone face the possibility of death with the certainty that death would never come for them the way Corrine did every goddamn day? It wasn't fair.

_'It just isn't fucking fair.'_

 

Rhys snarled, her words provoking him to attack first. Haylen tried reaching him out for him, hoping that she could possibly reason with Corrine, to let them leave the Commonwealth with wounded pride but unscathed nonetheless. Rhys was hardheaded, however, there was no way he would leave this police station without putting up a fight.

 

“Rhys, no!” Haylen cried. She outstretched her arms in desperation, fingers slipping against the fabric of his standard brotherhood uniform. He was gone. There was no saving Rhys or herself for that matter.

 

“You fucking traitor, Haylen trusted you! You deserve a fate worse than death.”

 

Rhys lunged at Corrine but the woman remained elusive and graceful as she dodged Rhys’ heavy attacks. Corrine didn’t seem perturbed by Rhys’ taunting remarks, although Haylen suspected they must have had an impact considering her situation. Charmer frowned and pulled out a stealth boy device, vanishing into thin air before Rhys could make physical contact with their former comrade.

 

“Fight me you fucking coward! There will be hell to pay for this you know. Even if I don’t make it out of here, you’re a marked target. You’re fucked, you lousy backstabbing waste of human flesh.” Rhys spat out, firing his rifle everywhere in hopes of revealing Corrine.

 

“Fuck!” Corrine cried out loud the moment she had been struck by an intense beam of light.She had been stealthily maneuvering around Rhys with a peculiar looking blade in hand at the ready.

 

Rhys sneered and took advantage of Corrine’s struggle to regain her composure and kicked her hard in the face, his boot leaving a dirty imprint across her mouth. Haylen gasped at the sight of Rhys wasting no time in wrapping his big hands around Corrine’s throat and picking her up off the floor, slamming her slender frame into the nearest wall. Haylen couldn’t bear this situation any longer. This was the last thing she wanted to see and it was only a matter of time before Charmer’s accomplices returned to the first floor to assist their leader in slaughtering the remnants of Brotherhood forces in the Commonwealth. She needed to act fast. Haylen could either die on her own terms fighting for her beliefs or she could hesitate pulling the trigger and die in disgrace. Haylen sighed.

 

She steadied her breathing as she picked up her laser pistol and aimed directly for Corrine’s head. Corrine must have noticed her movements because as she struggled to fight against Rhys, her eyes flickered over to Haylen. Scribe Haylen abruptly met her gaze and she found herself wishing she hadn’t done that. _‘Oh god.’_ Corrine’s pale grey eyes could light up the entire galaxy as they burned brighter than the power of a thousand suns. There were a dozen different emotions Haylen could feel radiating from that look Corrine was giving her, another grim reminder that she too was human. They were one in the same, each fighting for their people and for what they believed in.

 

“Look at me, you walking heap of wasteland filth! I’m going to be the last person you see before you die. I hope you can feel how much I hate you. You deserved everything that happened to you and your son, you backstabbing wretch.” Rhys whispered menacingly as he tightened his grip around Corrine’s throat.

 

“Hey pal, you reserve no right speaking like that to her. I think it’s time for a permanent time out.”

 

A voice coming from out of the blue and Haylen panicked, pulling the trigger only to miss when she found herself shot by a projectile. She winced in pain, dropping her laser pistol. Her hand had been pinned to the wall behind her by what appeared to be a railway spike – what kind of weapon had the power to do that?

 

“Oh god no, please, no!” Haylen cried out, unable to focus on anything but the excruciating pain she felt. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rhys drop Corrine to the floor as the man identified as Deacon placed a hand over his mouth and held him tight. She had to watch in horror as he relentlessly drove a blade deep into Rhys’ back, the knight’s screams of agony muffled by Deacon’s hand, his eyes dull and lifeless a moment later.

 

“RHYS! OH MY GOD, NO! RHYS!” Haylen screamed, terrified out of her mind.

 

Her heart pounding as she rushed to pull the railway spike out of her hand. There was another screeching sound of a projectile being shot and Haylen gasped, struggling to catch her breath when she felt her foot being pinned to the floor.

 

“Hold your fire, please! I beg you!” Corrine commanded; her voice rough and low after nearly being asphyxiated to death.

 

Haylen couldn’t stop the tears from falling as she helplessly watched Corrine approach her, her steps careful and calculated. For the first time in what seemed like years, Haylen finally got a good look at Corrine ever since she turned her back on the Brotherhood. She donned the traditional black Brotherhood uniform underneath thick layers of heavy combat armor, a fresh scar running straight down the middle of her left eye and most surprisingly of all, a small smile.

 

“Haylen.” Corrine started.

 

Haylen acknowledged the greeting by spitting in her face. Corrine didn’t seem disturbed by her actions at all. She responded by gently placing a dainty hand over mouth while simultaneously using her free hand to cover Haylen’s pinned hand on the wall. She interlocked their fingers and held on tight. Haylen’s eyes went wide when Corrine leaned in close; she nearly had half a mind to start counting the freckles that dotted Corrine’s face.

 

“The atrocity I’m about to commit is in response to what the Brotherhood attempted to do in order to tear my friends and what little family I have left apart. Believe me when I say if there were another way to maintain peace between the Brotherhood and Railroad, I would take it. However, I lost a dear friend today during the Brotherhood’s assault back at HQ and it got me thinking – why should we let an organization with a hypocritical stance on the abuses of technology occupy the Commonwealth when it’s already protected by the Minutemen and the Railroad? Think about it Haylen. Your people are attempting to rebuild a giant fucking robot armed with Nukes that could devastate what little of the world is left all while you’re preaching about protecting humanity by hoarding all the dangerous shit left behind in the pre-war era that you didn’t have time to think that if this kind of technology fell into the wrong hands we’d all be fucking doomed?”

 

Haylen found herself relaxing, if only by a little bit. Corrine and Haylen shared similar views about what the Brotherhood represented and both agreed on more than one occasion that their methods of accomplishing their mission could use a serious overhaul. The Brotherhood back in the Capital Wasteland, under Sarah Lyon’s guidance at the time, represented what the Brotherhood should have been all along before Elder Lyon’s untimely death. They too were like the Minutemen of the Commonwealth and they had been instrumental in defeating the Enclave and supplying the Wasteland with purified water for the first time in ages. They helped people without expectations, they recruited Wastelanders who sought to make the wasteland a safer place and most importantly, they didn’t have to bully their way around to get their way. They were a respected organization once upon a time and it was only until Elder Maxson was given the helm that everything had shifted. Haylen was now beginning to understand why Corrine had her reservations about the Brotherhood before she joined up. It hadn’t always been like this though, and living with that kind of regret only made Haylen feel ashamed for what the Brotherhood of Steel has become.

 

“Haylen, I am truly sorry for your loss and just know that this wasn’t an easy decision for me to make but I have to do it. I’m with the Railroad – we’re here to protect Synths and free them from their restraints of the Institute. I protect people like Danse and in case you’re curious, yes, he’s still alive but…I fear he and I will no longer be on good terms after today. That’s irrelevant – the point is that the Railroad is merging with the Minutemen and the settlers you see out there farming and defending their crops? Synths will be among them, starting over and living their lives as free men and women. They deserve to have that chance and the Brotherhood spewing all this bullshit about preventing another global catastrophe by slaughtering people who just want to live in peace is what I’m up against. They’ve got to be stopped one way or another because Liberty Prime is just another prime example of the danger that the Commonwealth faces with the Brotherhood occupation.”

 

Haylen’s shoulders tensed once more when she felt the sudden sting of a needle penetrating her skin; Corrine injected a stimpak into her to seal the minor wounds she received from the railway spikes. She didn’t realize when or how Corrine managed to pull those railway spikes off her without her noticing. Their hands remained clasped together as Corrine pulled her hand away from Haylen’s mouth but how could Haylen respond to all this? She was in shock.

 

“I am not going to expect you to forgive me for what I’m about to do because God knows that I don’t deserve you and the kindness you have shown me since we first met. I want you to know that if it is vengeance that drives you, that if you feel that my actions today were not vindicated, I am offering you a way to find me. All you need to do is to follow the freedom trail, and to ask for Charmer at the door. I won’t make it easy for you but I want you to take that chance should you feel the desire to come find me. I just wish things didn’t have to turn out this way.”

 

Haylen felt drowsy all of a sudden – that stimpak was laced with something else, wasn’t it? Haylen’s shoulders slumped and she fell forward but Corrine caught her in time, carefully laying her down on the floor.

 

“Corrine…what- what did you do to me?” Haylen asked, her voice low and weak as she felt herself succumbing to sleep. “Remind me of what I did to you to deserve t-this?”

 

Charmer looked away guiltily, choosing to ignore the question. Within moments, Haylen was sound asleep and the Railroad Heavy stood up with a look of fierce determination written in her eyes.

 

“You okay, boss?” Deacon asked after he quietly observed the private moment between the two.

 

Charmer shook her head. Of course she wasn’t okay but that wasn’t going to stop her from continuing the mission.

 

“No, no matter what I do or say, people will always get hurt one way or another. I just have to learn to live with it. Anyway, enough lollygagging, the Prydwen is eagerly awaiting our arrival.” Corrine replied curtly, wanting to get this over with as quickly possible. “This one’s for you, Glory.”

**Author's Note:**

> The Railroad ending left me feeling bitter after completing this quest. I'm striving for a pure BoS ending because I love these characters + Proctor Ingram so much. Anyway, this was just my take on what I wish could have happened. I haven't written anything in so long so please forgive any mistakes you see. I hope I continue to improve the more I write.


End file.
